Sisterland

In epigraphs from classic fairy tales, Finnish author Simukka (As Red as Blood) acknowledges the influences for this modern story, which feels both fresh and timeless. Alice is 11 years old, an age that feels "like crawling under the rosebush where you'd always hidden as a child, but now suddenly the roses had grown thorns," and she longs for adventure and a best friend. She gets both when she follows a shapeshifting dragonfly from her snowy homeland to Sisterland, a realm of wind fairies, dragons, and Marissa, the human travel companion she's always wanted. The eerie beauty of Sisterland has an anesthetizing effect on the girls, but they sense their homes and families are in jeopardy. Their journey takes them to Queen Lili, whose statements about human suffering might be commentary on an exploitative global economy: "That's a small price to pay for Sisterland having an eternal summer.... I'm not going to allow the snow troubles of some distant world... concern me." But Simukka is primarily interested in the intensity of young female friendships and the ways in which they wax and wane. While a few readers may wish for longer pauses in this Odyssey-paced journey, most will delight in the wondrous details and flexible metaphors. Ages 8-12. (Dec.)

This fantasy adventure, translated from Finnish, is inspired by classics like Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. It's the story of Alice, who lives with her family in a place where snow is normal—but one year, the snow comes so early and with so much intensity that the 11-year-old starts to think something is wrong. One day, she spies a dragonfly, a creature seriously out of place, and follows it. Much like Alice in Wonderland, she ends up in a fantastical land of endless summer, with beautiful and unfamiliar creatures. She finds a girl named Marissa who, much like herself, seeks adventure. Alice and Marissa enjoy their time in Sisterland, but start forgetting their families and set out on a quest to find Queen Lili, who might be able to send them home. It turns out there is a prophecy about the two girls and the Queen. Magical creatures are discovered and a great battle ensues. There are overarching themes of friendship, including how to be a friend and the lengths people go to support each other. The enchanting writing contains rich descriptions and similes, and will be accessible to reluctant readers. This story is strongly centered in Western European culture; readers who don't have background knowledge of it may struggle to connect. VERDICT A good choice for lower middle grade collections seeking fantasy adventure stories with strong female friendships.—Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elementary, FL